Health waiting times grow even worse

Crucial health service waiting list times have continued to worsen, according to the latest set of figures released today.

Quarterly statistics relating to how long people are waiting for a first appointment and to receive their test results, plus others, have been released by the Department for Health.

They show the performance of the Province’s NHS – which, like other areas of the public sector, is currently run solely by civil servants and not elected politicians – is continuing to deteriorate.

Similar sets of figures in recent years have shown NHS targets repeatedly being missed, and a widening gap between health managers’ objectives and the real outcomes.

In response to the figures, particularly the ones about reporting times for tests, Margaret Carr, Cancer Research UK’s public affairs manager for Northern Ireland, said in a statement: “It’s worrying that people in Northern Ireland are still waiting too long for tests – a symptom of a Health Service hindered by lack of direction.

“Quick access to tests is a vital part of diagnosing cancer early, and some of these people might have cancer. Patients must be diagnosed and treated early if they are to have the best chance of surviving cancer.

“New projects to transform the Health Service in Northern Ireland, including improvements to diagnostic services, have all been put on hold in the absence of an Executive and Assembly.

The hard figures:

As of June 30 this year (unless otherwise stated), these were how the Province’s waiting lists stood in relation to their targets.

A first consultant-led outpatient appointment:

Target:

At least 50% of patients should wait no longer than nine weeks for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment.